Pattern stitch sewing machine



ATsuO OHIRA PATTERN STITCH SEWING MACHINE July 1,1910

INVENTOR ATSUO 'OHIRA Filed Nov. 18, 1968 ATTORNEYST v United States Patent 3,518,955 PATTERN STITCH SEWING MACHINE Atsuo Ohira, Kariya, Japan, assignor to Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha, Kariya, Japan Filed Nov. 18, 1968, Ser. No. 776,367 Claims priority, application Japan, Nov. 25, 1967, 42/ 99,347 Int. Cl. D051) 3/02 US. Cl. 112-158 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A pattern stitch sewing machine provided with a plurality of stitch pattern cam discs, a cam follower selectively engaging one of said pattern cam discs, a means for switching-over said cam follower from one pattern cam disc to another selected pattern cam disc, and means for transmitting movement of said cam follower to the needle bar of the sewing machine for transversal movement thereof. In such sewing machine, the stitch pattern selecting device comprises a manipulating dial shaft, a releasing cam fixed to said dial shaft, an oscillatable link engaging with said releasing cam, a screw shaft having a screw flute on which said cam follower is oscillatably and axially movably mounted, a change-over element having a pin engaging with said screw flute and axially movable along said screw shaft, and said changeover element is associated with said dial shaft through an intermittently rotatable wheel.

In a conventional pattern stitch sewing machine having a plurality of pattern cam discs, construction and manipulation thereof are very complicated, and the user firstly has to manipulate means for releasing the cam follower from one of the pattern cam discs and then another means must be manipulated to select another desired pattern cam disc by transferring the cam follower to said selected pattern cam disc.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide an improved controlling device in the aforementioned type of the pattern stitch sewing machine, in which a single manipulation of a dial shaft serves for dual purpose of releasing the cam follower and of transferring the cam follower to another selected pattern cam disc.

Another object of this invention is to provide a pattern stitch sewing machine of the above type, wherein the controlling device is of relatively simple construction.

The above and other objects of the invention will become further apparent from the following detailed description, reference being made to the accompanying drawings showing a preferred embodiment of the invention. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the controlling device of the pattern stitch sewing machine according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the essential part of the controlling device shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of another portion associated with the device shown in FIG. 2 as seen from arrow A in FIG. 1.

Referring to the drawing, 1 designates a frame of the pattern stitch mechanism according to the present invention, and 2 is a main shaft having secured thereto a gear 3. 4 is a pattern cam disc assembly comprising a plurality of differently shaped pattern cam discs 5, 5' and 5" etc. This pattern disc assembly is fixedly mounted on a shaft 7 which has mounted thereto a gear 6 and is rotatable at reduced speed ratio as driven from said main shaft 2. 8 is a U-shaped oscillatable support having two arms 8a and 8a which are oscillatably mounted at the upper ends on a horizontal shaft 9 which is parallel with said shaft "ice 7 and is rigidly connecting both side walls of the frame 1. A horizontal rotatable shaft 10 is penetrating the side walls of the machine frame 1, and one end extending outwardly has a fixed dial for selecting one of the pattern cam discs. Said shaft 10 also carries a follower releasing cam 12, which has cam faces 120 comprising depressions and summits (the depressions are non-operable for releasing, while the summits operable for releasing). The maximum extent of cam face transformation of said releasing cam 12 is so determined that the angle of rotation of the releasing cam 12 is greater than that through which said oscillatable support 8 is oscillated based on the maximum extent of cam face transformation of said pattern cam discs. 13 is an oscillatable lever having a contact pin 14 normally engaging said releasing cam 12. One end of this lever 13 is supported by said horizontal shaft 9. The lever 13 has a depending extension 130 which is fixed to the bottom of said U-shaped support 8 by means of a screw 15 as at 13b. A rotatable shaft 16 provided with a screw flute 16a is arranged between the side walls of the machine frame 1, the opposite ends thereof being passed through openings 8c and 80' respectively, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. A change-over element 17 has an engaging screw 18, inner end thereof being in engagement with the screw flute 16a. A pattern cam follower or contact 19 is oscillatably mounted on a boss 17a of said change-over element 17. Said follower 19 is provided with an oblong slot 19a which is of such length corresponding to or substantially equal to the maximum extent of cam face transformation of the pattern cam discs. A stop pin 20 with a head 20a (of which diameter is greater than the width of the slot 19a) is passing through the slot 19:: and is abutting against a fork 17b formed in the change-over element 17. When the change-over element 17 is moved rightwardly (in FIG. 2) in the axial direction by virtue of rotation of the screw shaft 16, with the screw pin 18 engaged with the screw flute 16a, frictional engagement of the head 20a of the pin 20 with the inner edge of the oblong slot 19a will allow the corresponding movement of the cam follower 19. In case of leftward movement of the change-over element 17, the latter will press the cam follower 19. A shaft 21 is arranged between two side walls of the machine frame 1, passing through the openings 80 and 8c of the oscillatable support 8. This shaft 21 serves for limiting the oscillatory movement of the changeover element 17, the upper forked portion 17b thereof being engaged by the shaft 21. Thus, while said changingover element 17 is axially movable along the screw shaft 16 by virtue of engagement with the screw flute 16a, the oscillatory movement of the changing-over element 17 is prevented by said shaft 21. On the other hand, the oscillatory movement of the cam follower 19 is allowed within the limit of thelength of the oblong slot 19a, while axial movement thereof is also allowed. 22 is a shaft connecting the lower ends of two arms of the oscillatable support 8, and is engaging with the recess 19b of said follower 19, so that the oscillatory movement thereof will be transmitted to the oscillatable support 8. 23 is a gear mounted on one end of the shaft 10 protruding outwardly from one side wall of the machine frame 1, and is in mesh with an intermediate gear 24. 25 is a driving gear meshing with said intermediate gear 24, and is provided with driving pins 26 and 26'. 27 is a Geneva motion gear having four radial slots 27a, 27a, 27a and 27a! adapted to be engaged by one of said pins 26 and 26, forming 21 Geneva motion wheel adapted for intermittent rotary motion. 28 is a braking arm abutting against the Geneva motion Wheel 27 serving to prevent unnecessary motion of the latter.

29 is a timing belt connecting a pulley 30 rotatably mounted to one of the side walls of the machine frame 1 with a boss of the dial 11, and this belt has two pointers P for reading a pattern scale S on the front part of the machine frame 1. 32 is a pin abutting against the lower end 130 of the said oscillatable lever 13. This pin 32 is forming a part of an actuator 33 for transversal rocking movement of the needle bar of the pattern stitch sewing machine. Said actuator 33 is normally pulled leftwardly by means of a spring 34a connected to a lever 34 of the actuator 33.

The operation of the present invention will be described as follows: When the pin 14 of the oscillatable lever 13 comes into engagement with the summit of the cam face 12c of the releasing cam 12, the pin 26 of the driving gear 25 comes into engagement with one of the radial slots 27a of the follower gear 27, so that said gear 27 will be rotated together with the screw shaft 16, whereas when the pin 14 comes into engagement with the bottom of the cam face 12c of the releasing cam 12, said pin 26 does not engage with said radial slot 27a, so that the follower gear wheel 27 will remain stopped. If it is desired to change-over the pattern to the next pattern desired, the dial 11 shall be rotated to the desired position. The pin 14 of the oscillatable lever 13 which was in engagement with the bottom of the cam face 120 of the releasing cam 12 will climb on the summit of said cam face. According to said transformation of the cam face, said pin 14 being raised the lever 13 will be oscillated in anticlockwise direction and, consequently, the cam follower 19 will be also oscillated in the same direction through the oscillatable support 8, the shaft 22 and the fork 19b, so that the follower 19 will be transferred to a position slightly apart from the summit of the cam face with respect to all the pattern cam discs. At the same time, the rotating torque on the dial shaft will act through the first gear 23 and the intermediate gear 24 to bring the driving pin 26 of the driving gear 25 into engagement with the radial slot 27a of the follower gear wheel 27, so that the follower gear 27 together with the screw shaft 16 will be rotated. According to the rotation of said screw shaft 16, the change-over element 17 will be axially moved (as seen in FIG. 2) by virtue of engagement of the pin 18 with the screw flute 16a, so that the follower 19 will also be moved in the same direction. Rotation of the dial 11 shall be stopped at the position alloted for next desired pattern, whereby the follower 19 will be put into engagement with the desired pattern cam disc. At this time, the pin 14 of the lever 13 will be returned to the bottom of the cam face 12c of the releasing cam 12. Then, by the rotation of the main shaft 2, the pattern cam disc assembly 4 is rotated. The cam follower 19 will be oscillated according to the transformation of the cam face (at this time the changingover element 17 is not oscillated), and the required transversal reciprocating movement will be given to the needle bar through the fork 19b, the shaft 22, the oscillatable support 8, the oscillatable arm 13, the pin 32 for actuating the transmitter block 33, and the rod 34.

From the foregoing it will be seen according to the present invention, that by single manipulation of the stitch pattern selecting member (the dial 11 in the embodiment shown), the pattern cam follower contact is released from one of the pattern cam discs, and that said cam follower contact may be simultaneously switched over to another selected stitch pattern cam discs. Such advantage can not be expected in the conventional pattern stitch sewing machine, in which dual manipulations are required, firstly effecting release of the cam follower contact, and secondly selecting another pattern cam disc and transferring the cam follower contact to said selected stitch pattern cam disc. Such disadvantage has been removed, and easier and quicker manipulation may be effected according to this invention.

What I claim is:

1. In a pattern stitch sewing machine provided with a plurality of pattern cam discs, a cam follower adapted to be operated by selective engagement with one of said pattern cam discs, and a means for transmitting the movement of said cam follower to the needle bar of the sewing machine for transverse oscillating movement according to the selected stitch pattern, a controlling mechanism comprising a manipulating element for selecting desired stitch pattern, a controlling cam operatively connected with said manipulating element and adapted to release said cam follower from said pattern cam discs and to bring said cam follower into engagement with a selected pattern cam disc, an oscillatable link mechanism provided between said controlling cam and the cam follower and adapted for transmitting the movement of said controlling cam to said cam follower, and a feed mechanism for moving said cam follower across the pattern cam discs and adapted to be actuated by a mechanism adapted for intermittent rotation and operatively connected with said manipulating element.

2. A pattern stitch sewing machine as recited in claim 1, wherein the mechanism adapted for intermittent rotation comprises a Geneva motion gear.

3. A pattern stitch sewing machine as recited in claim 1, wherein the feed mechanism comprises a feed screw shaft and a pin engaging the said screw shaft and adapted for moving said cam follower.

4. A pattern stitch sewing machine as recited in claim 1, wherein the manipulating element consists of a manipulating dial shaft having a timing belt associated with a pattern scale.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1/1966 Eguchi 1l2l58 9/1968 Kasuga 112158 

